University of Nottingham Malaysia is offering RM1million worth of scholarships for leading badminton players in Malaysia representing the state or the country in tournaments and affiliated with Ampang Jaya Badminton Centre (AJBC). The University announced the Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen Scholarship at an event hosted by AJBC, and attended by University of Nottingham Malaysia Vice-Provost (Research & Knowledge Exchange) Professor Claire O’Malley and AJBC head coach Ho Khek Mong on 22 November 2017.

The scholarship is awarded to students with outstanding achievements at state and national levels, who wish to pursue tertiary education. Through this scholarship, the players have the opportunity to pursue higher education while maintaining their sporting career.

According to Professor O’Malley: “As a leading UK university, we encourage our students to be well rounded individuals and to excel in areas beyond just their academic courses. Through this partnership we wish to support talented individuals to achieve their full potential, be it in the classroom or the badminton court.”

“Through this initiative we hope to support the national agenda of producing top class badminton players for Malaysia.”

At the University of Nottingham,Yang Li Lian, who is a Malaysian national based at the UK campus, has excelled in both badminton and education. Li Lian previously scooped the Women’s singles title at the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) National Championships and is a recipient of the Greenaway sports scholarship. She won the Gold in the Malaysian National Grand Prix Finals in 2013 and 2014 and secured first place in the National Badminton League. In the international arena, she won the 2015 Bahrain International Series in the women's singles and mixed doubles event, and the 2017 Iceland International in the women's singles and doubles events. Li Lian is a second year Mathematics student at The University of Nottingham UK.

In the 1950s, the University’s Chairman YM Tengku Tan Sri Ahmad Rithauddeen Tengku Ismail, who is also an alumnus of the University, was the captain of the badminton team while he was studying. The scholarship was named in his honour to pay tribute to his contribution in the badminton arena at at the University. The Malaysia Campus also named its Sports Complex after YM Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen.

(Thumbnail image caption: (from left to right) Ho Khek Mong and Professor O'Malley with sponsors of the Malaysia Purple League)

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Notes to Editors: The University of Nottingham is a research-intensive university with a proud heritage, consistently ranked among the top one per cent in the world. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our 44,000 students - Nottingham was named University of the Year for Graduate Employment in the 2017 Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide, was awarded gold in the TEF 2017 and features in the top 20 of all three major UK rankings. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement. We are ranked eighth for research power in the UK according to REF 2014. We have six beacons of research excellence helping to transform lives and change the world; we are also a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally.